Chapter Three

Gwen

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“Good morning, Gwenie.” I felt the weight of my mother on the edge of the bed as she leaned over and looked down on me. “Rise and shine.”

“Mom,” I said, my voice dry and crackling.

“Yes, Honey?”

“What are you doing?” Opening one eye, I glanced up at her over my shoulder.

“It's your morning wake up call, same as always.”

“That was when I was in school and needed to get up early. I have no reason to get up at. . .” Pausing, I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and checked the time. “Seven in the morning.”

Standing up, she walked over to the windows and yanked open the curtains. “Actually you do.” Turning around, she cupped her hips and smiled. “We have some shopping to do for the party, and there's not a chance on this earth that I'm doing it with your father.”

“You mean you don't want to spend the whole time shopping by yourself while he naps in the car?” Pushing up in the bed, I rubbed my eyes.

“Exactly, besides, he's on airport duty for your brother.” Clapping her hands together, she gave me a big toothy grin. “Okay, breakfast is in twenty, get dressed and come down when you're set. Us girls have a busy day today.”

“Yay,” I said sarcastically, shaking my fists in the air.

“Don't start, you're not too old for me to ground you.”

“I'm twenty-seven, Mom.”

“The rules don't change,” she said with a smirk, wagging her finger in my direction. “My house, my rules. Twenty minutes, get moving.”

Closing the door as she walked out, I gripped the blanket and tugged it over my head, snuggling back into the darkness.

Within seconds my door flew back open and the heavy thud of my father's feet stepped inside. “Get your ass out of bed.” His voice was tough but playful.

“I'm up, mom was just in here.”